Patna. Kartik Chhath, the four-day festival of sun worship in Bihar, started from today with Nahay-Khay. The four-day ritual of Chhath, the great festival of folk faith, has started on Tuesday with Nahay-Khay. On the first day of Chhath, the fasting men and women started this fast by taking Arwa food after taking bath in the pure and clean water of rivers and ponds as part of a resolution to take Nahay-Khay for the purification of conscience.
Since morning, devotees were seen taking bath in river Ganga, ponds, ponds etc. One specialty of this fast, which is observed for the happiness and prosperity of the family and for the relief from troubles, is that no priest (Pandit) is required to observe this festival. On the second day of the great festival Chhath, men and women fasting will once again start their fast after taking bath in rivers and ponds. After fasting throughout the day, the devotee will worship Lord Sun and eat kheer made of milk and jaggery only once at sunset.
After this, he will be able to consume water only till the moon is visible and after that, his fast of about 36 hours without food and water will start. On the third day of this great festival, the fasting people will stand in rivers and ponds and offer the first Arghya to the setting sun. The fasting people offer water from fruits and tubers to the setting sun. On the fourth and last day of the festival, a second Arghya will be offered to the rising sun in rivers and ponds. Only after offering the second Arghya, the devotees’ fast of about 36 hours ends and they consume food and water.
Nahay-Khay tradition
There is a tradition of Nahay-Khay on the fourth day of Diwali i.e. Chaturthi Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month. Some special customs are followed on this day. This year Chhath Puja is starting from Nahay-Khay on 5th November. The house is purified on this day. After this, Chhath devotees take bath and start their fast by consuming pure Satvik food. In Nahay-Khay, the fasting people consume bottle gourd vegetables, chickpeas and radish etc. along with rice. Only after the fasting person has finished eating, the rest of the family members consume this Mahaprasad.
Also read- Chhath Puja 2024: Chhath, the great festival of sun worship, starts from tomorrow, know its glory.
